I Will Attract Development To Ogbia Fed Constituency, Says Okilo’s Son, Urges Constituents To Vote YPP

Ogbia—Mr. OtioOkilo, the candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) contesting for the Ogbia Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives has promised to employ a community-based approach toward bringing the dividends of democracy to constituents.
He said Ogbia people need a representative that can use creative means in solving the problems bedeviling them.
Otio who is the son of popular statesman and former governor of old Rivers State, late Chief MelfordObieneOkilo made this known in an exclusive interview with Mangrovepen.ng.
He revealed that he was inspired to run for the Ogbia House of Representatives seat due to the level of underdevelopment in the constituency.
“If today you have a billion naira and you want to go and do a project in our communities, what will be your fears? It’s security. Without security, anything you plan to do for the people will fail.
“So security is number one on my agenda. And there are creative ways of doing it. I understand the state is trying to implement some security systems too.
“After tackling security, people will need income so I will create employment. I will reach out to a lot of companies to draw in investments.
“Apart from that, I will attract funds for large-scale farming projects, which will employ and empower a lot of people without necessarily spending huge amounts of money.
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“I will also look at social welfare projects. I plan to bring a lot of community-based projects that will create employment for our people.
“My aim is to encourage the creativity of the people, hence my adoption of a community-based approach because each community has its peculiar needs,” Otio said while reeling out his plans.
In addressing the ecological degradation of the federal constituency, he called for an inclusive approach and engagement of all stakeholders especially, the oil firms and the application of technology.
According to him, “earlier this year, a friend of mine was telling me about a chemical from Russia that improves the quality of soil that has been damaged by toxic chemicals. This type of technology exists.
“We can bring in such companies, liaise with the oil firms operating in those areas, train the communities on how to use it and the chemical can be used to repair the soil.
“Another example is the use of water hyacinth. In Kenya, there was a project where a company engaged women to pack water hyacinth.
“The plants are dried then grinded to take a spongy form. So once you just deep it in any water that has oil in it, it soaks up the oil. So those type of technology exists. It’s not just being applied.”
The YPP candidate advised youths not to see politics and public office as the only way they can express themselves.
He urged them to get involved in the setting up of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) at the grassroots that will help address some societal issues.